Active Grants

The rigorous, interdisciplinary research programs at the USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, including previous projects, have cumulatively received more than $27 million of federal funding during the past 20 years. Even more importantly, our research agenda pursues—and generates—knowledge with relevant outcomes for real-world interventions that improve human health, quality of life and well-being.

The USC Chan Division’s portfolio includes research grants, career development grants, training grants and contracts. Projects currently within their active funding period are below.

Research Grants

Big Data Neuroimaging to Predict Motor Behavior After Stroke

Principal Investigator: Sook-Lei LiewFunding Source: American Heart AssociationProject Period: 01/1/16 – 12/31/17Award Number: 16IRG26960017Total Award: $149,446Goal: This study will examine the preliminary effectiveness of a novel system that could provide an innovative new way for individuals with severe motor impairments after stroke, who cannot activate motor regions through volitional movement, to train and strengthen neural connections between the brain and muscles of the impaired limb in an evidence-based, motivating, portable, and affordable environment. Future work could build on these advances by modifying this system for home use to make neurorehabilitation training more accessible for those who need it most.

REINVENT: A Closed-Loop VR Neurofeedback System for Motor Recovery after Severe Stroke

Principal Investigator: Sook-Lei LiewFunding Source: American Heart AssociationProject Period: 01/1/16 – 12/31/17Award Number: 16IRG26960017Total Award: $149,446Goal: This study will examine the preliminary effectiveness of a novel system that could provide an innovative new way for individuals with severe motor impairments after stroke, who cannot activate motor regions through volitional movement, to train and strengthen neural connections between the brain and muscles of the impaired limb in an evidence-based, motivating, portable, and affordable environment. Future work could build on these advances by modifying this system for home use to make neurorehabilitation training more accessible for those who need it most.

Principal Investigator: Natalie LelandFunding Source: Agency for Healthcare Research and QualityProject Period: 07/01/15 – 06/30/18Award Number: 1K01HS022907Total Award: $437,222Goal: The research objective of this three-year mentored career development award is to address the occurrence of fall rates among post-acute care patients by defining gaps in rehabilitation documentation and practice, developing patient-centered evidence based quality measures of rehabilitation services in the area of fall prevention and better informing opportunities for improving quality of rehabilitation services.

Principal Investigator: Sharon A. CermakFunding Source: NIH/National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial ResearchProject Period: 5/1/15 – 4/30/20Award Number: 1 U01 DE024978-01Total Award: $3,139,788Goal: This randomized controlled trial of 220 children—110 of which who have autism spectrum disorders (ASD)—will test an intervention that alters the sensory characteristics of the dental environment in order to decrease children’s physiological anxiety and negative responses during oral care and contribute to increased child comfort as well as safer, more efficient, and less costly dental treatment. If successful, this intervention has the potential to revolutionize clinic-based dental care for the growing population of children with ASD, as well as for typically developing children with dental anxiety and/or sensory over-responsivity.

The Neurobiological Basis of Heterogeneous Social and Motor Deficits in ASD

Principal Investigator: Lisa Aziz-ZadehFunding Source: NIH/Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human DevelopmentProject Period: 4/1/15 – 1/31/20Award Number: 1R01 HD079432-01A1Total Award: $2,156,234 (subject to change based on subsequent NOAs)Goal: To better understand the relationship between variation in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) along both social and motor dimensions by showing how these variations, using functional MRI imaging, relate to functioning in social and motor brain networks and functional connectivity between them.

Vertical Integration and Care Coordination in Post-Acute Care Markets

Principal Investigator: Neeraj Sood (USC School of Pharmacy)Co-Investigator: Natalie LelandFunding Source: NIH/National Institute on AgingProject Period: 6/15/14 – 4/30/18Award Number: 1R01AG046838Awarded To Date: $697,576Goal: This study will seek to understand how health outcomes and costs of Medicare beneficiaries are influenced by the level of integration between the acute care hospital and PAC provider. We will also examine the potential effects of proposed Medicare reforms aimed at improving care coordination between acute care hospitals and PAC providers.

Principal Investigator: Elizabeth PyatakFunding Source: NIH/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)Project Period: 7/15/14 – 4/30/17Award Number: NIH/K01DK099202Total Award: $456,312Mentors: Anne Peters, Donna Spruijt-Metz, Robin WhittemoreGoal: This three-year mentored career development award will pilot-test an innovative intervention, Resilient, Empowered, Active Living with Diabetes (REAL), targeting underserved minority young adults with poorly-controlled diabetes. The study will randomize 80 young adults with diabetes to receive either the six-month REAL intervention or an attention control condition. Blinded data collectors will assess glycemic control, diabetes self-care behaviors and quality of life outcomes, as well as potential intervention mediators, before and after the six-month intervention. Anticipated findings from this pilot study will be used to inform a large-scale randomized controlled trial of the REAL intervention.

K12 Scholar: Stacey Schepens NiemiecFunding Source: National Institutes of Health, NICHD/NINDS Rehabilitation Research Career Development Program Project Period: 2013 – 2016Award Number: HD055929 (PI: K. Ottenbacher)Total Award: $367,652Mentor: Florence ClarkGoal: The immediate purpose of this study is to develop and test a smartphone application that facilitates physical activity engagement and reduces sedentary behavior in underactive older adults. This and future projects will contribute to the long-term goal of developing a complex mobile health intervention that will improve physical activity engagement and overall health in older, at-risk groups and thereby contribute to national healthy aging agendas.

Noninvasive Brain Stimulation and Neuroimaging to Characterize and Stimulate Recovery After Stroke

K12 Scholar: Sook-Lei LiewFunding Source: National Institutes of Health, NICHD/NINDS Rehabilitation Research Career Development Program Project Period: 2014 – 2016Award Number: HD055929 (PI: K. Ottenbacher)Total Award to Date: $257,272Mentor: Carolee WinsteinGoal: Stroke is a leading cause of adult long-term disability around the world. This research project uses neuroimaging to characterize and identify key neural regions and networks in the brain after stroke that lead to recovery. Noninvasive brain stimulation can then be used to facilitate activity in these key regions in order to enhance motor recovery after stroke. Finally, individual differences in neural patterns of recovery and responsiveness to noninvasive brain stimulation can be studied and provide insight into how we can personalize the most effective treatments for individuals after stroke.

Identifying Risk Factors for Harm in Children on Invasive Home Medical Therapies

Co-Principal Investigator: Mary LawlorPrincipal Investigator: Glen TakataFunding Source: Keck School of Medicine of USC-Southern California Clinical Translational Science Institute (SC CTSI) for Multidisciplinary Research ProjectsProject Period: 3/15/14 – 6/30/16Award Number: NIH/NCRR/NCATS #KL2TR00031Total Award: $45,000Goal: To conduct a pilot study leading to identifying and understanding the mediators of harm in children on home mechanical ventilation and home parenteral nutrition using systems engineering, human factors approaches and collaborate with parents to reduce harm to their children.

Contracts

Project Director: Florence ClarkFunding Source: Western Psychological ServicesProject Period: 6/01/98 – 12/31/16Contract Amount to Date: $1,269,811Abstract: Under this contract, the USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy provides updates to the teaching materials used in Western Psychological Services’ continuing education program and provides administrative services as related to the program.